Early Language Learning & Multilingual Education Network

ABSTRACT

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Recent research highlighting the benefits of introducing English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in early childhood has inspired educational reforms across many countries. However, an early start alone does not ensure meaningful engagement or effective learning. For EFL instruction to be successful in preschool settings, it must be developmentally appropriate, contextually relevant, and seamlessly integrated into the broader educational framework of the classroom. In Greece, the early introduction of EFL was implemented through the EAN project—an interdisciplinary, theory-driven, and research-based initiative that provided both the pedagogical and methodological foundations for this reform. This presentation outlines the core principles of the EAN framework, emphasizing its alignment with Greece’s new national preschool curriculum. Key success criteria emerging from this dual reform effort include: holistic development, cross-thematic and inquiry-based learning design, inclusive practices, a strong culture of collaboration, a playful pedagogical approach, and a focus on multilingual awareness and intercultural communication. These elements jointly support a coherent and motivating early learning experience and may serve as guiding principles for similar efforts in other contexts.

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BIO

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Efthymia Penderi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Education Sciences in Early Childhood at Democritus University of Thrace, Greece. She has collaborated with the Greek Institute of Educational Policy as a scientific coordinator in the development of the new national preschool curriculum, and as a member of the project team for the pilot introduction of English in preschool education. She also served as a scientific collaborator in the national EAN program during the broader implementation of this reform. Her research focuses on curriculum design, the reduction of social inequalities in education, the promotion of children’s right to participation, strategic learning, and bilingual education. Her broader interests include sociocultural learning and well-being, family-school-community partnerships, teachers’ professional development, and the sociopedagogical dimensions of schooling.